Google set to return to China

Beijing, Sep 8 (IANS) Google Play, the mobile application store, could return to China as early as this month, the media reported on Tuesday.

Google pulled its services from the mainland in 2010.

Citing information.com, a tech news site, an article in China daily said Google was working on a “special” version of Google Play for China, and the platform will be available for Android devices for sale in China.

A Beijing-based application developer was quoted by the paper as saying that Google Play will be tailored to suit the Chinese market.

It means the content will be subject to Chinese regulations and video products, such as movies, will not be available, the article said.

Google is also likely to bring along a number of local companies to provide localisation services while launching the app store.

China’s smartphone sales are peaking and China’s demand for mobile apps continue to grow. Google needs to take a share of the country’s huge smartphone market, the article said.